Chapter 171
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 171
Chapter Title: War Goddess Athena
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There are countless fights in the world, and among them are plenty waged not with swords and spears, but with tongues and glares.
Back when I first learned demonic arts and clawed my way up step by step from the very bottom of the Demonic Cult, I too believed that in the martial world, might makes right—that blades were far more fearsome than any law.
But what do you know.
They say a change in position brings a change in perspective.
Having risen from the depths below to the heights above, I discovered that smiling while wagging your tongue was far more dangerous—and far more ruinous—than bellowing curses amid wild sword swings.
One word from me could lead to thousands of allies slaughtered. A single tilt of my head could turn tens of thousands of enemies into crow fodder. It was a battlefield of eloquence.
To a novice lord still drunk on humanity's innate sense of superiority, it felt like quite the burden—a weighty responsibility.
'Compared to that, this is just child's play.'
With the scale shrinking from five digits to a single one—opponent be she a goddess or whatever—this war of words was actually rather enjoyable.
No matter how much chaos I stirred up here, Athena's image wouldn't allow her to implicate Atalanta, Nesneria, or even Jason's crew in guilt by association.
And if things somehow spiraled into drawn steel, I could handle the fallout just fine.
In other words: no penalties, just returns on an already entertaining diversion.
'Might even be fun to swing for a real clash.'
If Ares was the God of Battle, then Athena was the Goddess of War.
I'd already reveled plenty in the savagery and violence of battlefields manifested here in Greece. Sampling the Goddess of War's martial prowess and mettle firsthand could make for a delightful appetizer.
Whatever the case, there was nothing for me to lose today. All that remained was to enjoy the show.
Now, the players were long in position.
The opposing side, which had seemed a touch off its game, appeared ready as well. Shall we begin?
'Time to parry that provocation properly.'
"A fine grasp of the tea ceremony. An unfamiliar concept and art in Greece, yet as expected of the Oracle of Greece."
'Think you've got me figured out just from spying or whatever mimicry this is? And you call yourself a Greek sage?'
The crescent blade of my eunwoldo, hoisted high toward the heavens, gleamed as it smashed down heavily upon Athena's gambit.
"The tea ceremony... Does it truly mean savoring the aroma of tea? It would be wonderful if all of Greece possessed the refinement to enjoy such elegance, as you do."
'Calm yourself. Why press so fiercely at mere light needling? Did I frighten you?'
-Clang!
Athena parried it flawlessly with her mirror-bright greatshield, then gestured mockingly from beneath it.
Tea-infused words became a hefty eunwoldo. A smile-laden divine utterance formed a massive shield to block it.
The opening skirmish—sparked by Athena revealing the herbal brew that only Asclepius and I knew of—ended in a draw.
It was akin to generals clashing in single combat before the main battle.
"Refinement is built not by time, but by learning—and elegance is simply following the sun's warmth wherever the heart leads with joy."
'Planning to judge this affair with bias between god and man? Like Apollo, neglecting your divine duties to prioritize your pride?'
"Wise words indeed. I wish to share them with the faithful of my temple. They revel in the joy of learning through reverence for the divine."
'Enough. Stand down. It is mortal nature to look up to gods—and in doing so, you too shall find peace.'
"Joy, you say. Like sharing this pleasant chat with a beautiful goddess?"
'Already resorting to crushing me with authority? Why bother? You know it won't work.'
-Clang! Kaang! Shrieeek!
Laughing blade behind smiles, honeyed words over hidden swords, sharp needles concealed in soft bedding.
The goddess's silvery voice, sharp as a blade, blended seamlessly with the man's laughter-tinged tone—without a hint of discord.
Yet I could hear the fierce clash of steel echoing beyond those voices.
Athena surely heard it too.
If I yielded here, I'd kneel beneath the gods' name.
If Athena faltered, she'd have to admit before mortals that a god's greatness bowed to Olympus's justice.
A game of wits with no quarter given.
Every blade brimmed with innuendo and intent; the slightest slip meant a fatal wound and spilled blood. A deathmatch in its own right.
Yet the current situation favored me greatly.
'Athena's lost one card.'
A precious one, at that.
Me hiding my identity as a Hyperborean—and my bloodline and origins from most—was precisely for moments like this.
I had a rough grasp of this world's nature and the gods' tendencies, but the Greek gods knew next to nothing about me.
At least the third-generation gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Amphitrite—seemed to intuit my lineage at a glance. But the fourth-generation ones like Apollo and Artemis appeared oblivious.
Protogonos Nyx.
In my past life's mythology books, just a fleeting name. Even here in Greece, barely a trace in faith or legend.
One certainty: even Zeus would tread warily before that name. A being of immense power.
Had Athena known, she'd have burned or neutralized my bloodline card ages ago.
Her ignorance meant her intel on me was mere patchwork of rumors and speculation.
To illustrate: Athena's army was flashy in appearance and reputation, but in truth, poorly supplied and barely trained—like the Tang dynasty forces.
Mine? Fewer in number, less renowned, but solidly prepped guerrilla specialists—like Salmak's assassins.
'And righteousness is on my side.'
I'd come here solely because Athena promised 'fair' mediation in Olympus's and her divine duty's name.
If she oppressed me publicly into apologizing to Apollo, even her vaunted impartiality would take a hit.
As the saying goes: only fight battles you can win. Wage war assuming absolute victory.
A truth some sage had etched into my mind—one this goddess before me evoked.
'In the end, I owe you yet again.'
I closed my eyes and called to her after so long, but my cold-shouldered advisor remained silent, as ever.
Well, can't be helped.
"Huhu, a hero with such refined philosophy. Surely born of noble blood."
'You—which god's royal scion are you? What gives you the nerve to challenge me like this?'
"All is flesh and fleeting glory to return to Gaia. What meaning in empty pomp?"
'Maybe, but I'm secure without it. Are you nothing without Olympus's backing?'
"....."
"....."
Athena swung her massive warhammer at my head, but I dodged lightly and drove a kick into her midsection.
Authority and power are mighty weapons in themselves—but misuse them in timing, and they expose fatal gaps to the foe.
Athena sat rigidly across from me without a tremor, yet I saw her stagger back from my counter, coughing harshly.
Judging further tussling would devolve into brute force, Athena raised the white flag first.
"...Huhu, a most instructive time."
"Forgive any offense."
The bout ended more quietly than expected with Athena's concession.
She'd fought fiercely to choke me out despite her disadvantages.
But no matter how great or mighty a god, humanity standing atop the giants' accumulated shoulders from their ancient eras could look even them in the eye.
Athena's downfall? Perhaps pegging me against Greek heroes' standards.
Excepting her flute tale, Athena had always stayed cool-headed. Now she smiled wryly, shaking her head, graciously conceding defeat. I accepted with equal courtesy.
"However!"
"?"
As if the fight weren't over, Athena shot to her feet, fire reigniting in her eyes.
"Olympus's authority must remain unsullied and noble. No matter a god's disgrace, its glory cannot be tarnished."
"...."
-Click!
Now armed with spear and shield, Athena leveled her spear at me and bellowed.
"I warn you, demigod Dianes. For challenging a god and laying hands on divine flesh—repent before Athena now. Do so, and no harm shall befall you. Olympus itself shall embrace you!"
Absurd, unreasonable bluster—like a fart masquerading as words. Utterly irrational, unwise authoritarian bullying demanding mortals bow to gods.
Yet it didn't irk me.
Why? Because those eyes, calculating strategies moments ago, now blazed with battle-lust, provoking me.
And those subtle lips curved in a reckless, warlike smile reminiscent of Ares.
"And if I refuse?"
-Whoosh!
Athena's spear swept past, sending my forelock flying skyward.
"Athena acts only to safeguard Olympus's honor—and to guide the great hero from Bellerophon's folly."
Not just wisdom and intellect, but a true Goddess of War who dominated battlefields with strategy and tactics.
Her taunt to rise and draw steel prompted my own smile as I cupped my fists in salute.
"Overly honored to cross spears with a goddess."
We'd dueled fiercely with words as blades. Now, an invitation to play with real ones.
To pass up such fun? I'd have to relinquish my Heavenly Demon banner.